Program Review for General Engineering Technology
Program Review Framework & Criteria
I. Connection: From interest to application (Qualitative, program head and dean)
1) Please provide a description of any changes to the program since the last cycle and the appropriate updates to the catalog (general education changes, program requirement changes, ancillary program costs for students, hours/credits of credentials, etc.).
The General Engineering Technology (GET) Degree has added a 16 credit Mechatronics Career Studies Certificate (CSC) as a sub-credential. All course requirements in this certificate are completely stackable in the parent degree. The Mechatronics CSC has a total of six embedded Industry Recognized Credentials (IRC's); Siemens Mechatronics Level 1, FESTO Industry 4.0 , FESTO Hydraulics Level 1, FESTO Pneumatics Level 1, FESTO Introduction to Sensor Technology and FESTO DC Electricity. All FESTO certifications are offered through PHCC at no cost to the students. Students enrolled in the GET program may attain three of the six IRC’s in the first semester of classes and the remaining credentials within the first year of enrollment. In addition the GET program has added two robotics classes. IND 160 Introduction to Robotics utilizes the Carnegie Mellon Univ. Robotics Academy curriculum where students may earn as many as 16 digital badges through CMU. ELE 246 Introduction to Industrial Robotics offers the FESTO Introduction to Robotics level 1. To date PHCC has awarded more than 300 certifications and digital badges to students enrolled in the Mechatronics CSC and robotics classes. These changes resulted in no changes to the general studies requirement however four program requirements (14 credits) were replaced. Also the technical electives went from 18 credits to 12 credits with six credits changed to degree required classes.
2) How do students find out about the program? Please provide examples of advising activities, marketing materials, or other outreach and engagement events designed to recruit students to the program.
These marketing efforts are both on-going and re-occurring. Participated in biannual visits to high school parent night visits as well as periodic career fairs at the schools. Coordinated with career coaches for annual visits at the high schools during lunch blocks to showcase student projects and distribute program literature. Worked with the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment and Off Campus Sites and the Workforce, Economic and Community Development division to host info-sessions with area public school divisions and local industry partners. Hosted public school counselors at the FAB Lab for tours and degree program question and answer discussions. Co-hosted multiple presentations for the public at large interested in STEM careers with Workforce, Economic and Community Development division and local industry. Worked with the colleges marketing professionals to create several videos and two brochures designed to inform potential program applicants.
II. Entry: From application to pathway entry (Qualitative, program head and dean)
1) Please provide a description of your program credentials and how they stack into one another.
The mechatronics
CSC are a result of work done under the VCCS Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back
Initiative (G3). All 16 credits required for the completion of this CSC are
fully embedded in the parent degree and are under consideration to be
transferable into comparable programs throughout the VCCS. This CSC also ties
into the PHCC Credit for Prior Learning plan and may expedite a student’s degree
progress. Students enrolled in the CADD certificate program (40 credits) may
use 12 credits of CADD program specific classes program as 12 technical
electives toward the GET degree.
Questions for consideration:
1.a. What is the employability (or transferability) of each credential?
It has been difficult to track students that have are no longer enrolled in the GET program/subprograms. Students currently enrolled and living in the area have found employment in local business and industry. There have been a number of students that worked as interns. In many cases these internships have led to permanent full time positions. Many students are also incumbent workers and some have enjoyed promotions as a result of their accomplishments in college. Some example would be Chris Wagoner, Fab Lab Technician at PHCC; Sean Brooks, Supervision at Monogram Foods; Edgar Valdez, CADD Technician at AC Furniture Company; Cooper Pritchett, technical intern at Pressed Glass; John(Thadd)Christian, Technical/Engineering at Pressed Glass; J.D. Morse, Engineering Manager at Nation Wide Homes.
There have been a number of students that have transferred to senior institutions. There have been issues with program specific course transferability. There are ongoing efforts in place negotiate articulation agreements with partner institutions.
1.b. Do all credits from a sub-credential transfer into the parent credential?
The Mechatronics
is completely stackable into the parent program. In the CADD certificate
program there are 12 credits that may be used as technical electives and 16 cross
disciplinary credits. These credits would award a student a total of 28 credits
toward the GET degree. The CADD certificate is 70% stackable into the GET
degree.
1.c. What is the timeframe of completion for all credentials within the program (i.e. is the program setup to award sub-credentials prior to the parent credential)?
The parent degree may be completed in two years at a pace of 15 credits every fall and spring semester with seven credits taken over two summer semesters.
The Mechatronics CSC may be completed within the first academic year.
There are two tracks for CADD professionals, Architectural design and Engineering Graphics. The CADD Certifications requires three semesters to sufficiently cover these tracks. Employers of CADD operators want candidates to have more than 100 hours of experience using CADD software. 500 hours is typically considered proficient. Students seeking an IRC in CADD will typically need additional exposure to the CADD software requiring additional course work.
2) Program enrollment, if applicable, disaggregated by specialization (Quantitative, IE)
Per the IR director, please continue to 2a.
a. Annual program FTE and HC over the last review cycle (To include SCHEV program ratios and SCHEV class ratios)
The GET program
has experienced an increase in enrollment in recent times. There has been much
work done in student recruitment. Some of the increase may be a result of the
addition of CADD certificate students enrolling into the GET program as well as
the involvement in the NSF project geared toward dual enrollment course
offerings.
III. Progress: Pathway advancement (Quantitative, IE)
1) Student learning outcomes data
The information here is consistent but the program and data collection process is going through changes.
2) Program credit attainment (15/12 in one semester, 30/24 for those who enrolled in two consecutive semesters)
The data shows that the percentage of students that remain enrolled for the entire academic year has increased from 33 % to 50%. This appears to be trending upward with regard to students taking full loads for the entire year.
3) Program retention and persistence relative to the start date of the program (subsequent term calculation)
Persistence and Retention Table
There is a notable difference between the Fall 2017 numbers and the Fall 2018 numbers. One can only surmise that this may be attributable to the SEED scholarship opportunities and it’s subsequent requirements. There has also been a continuous improvement to the colleges student advising program.
One other change that may be considered would be the relocation of classes to the MET complex. This move creates an environment where students enrolled in similar programs spend much of their time in a common location of study. The students have better access to their academic advisors and program resources.
These changes require a more longitudinal study in order to better assess the data.
IV. Completion: Credential attainment (Quantitative, IE)
1) Sub-credential attainment and timeframe (are students completing sub-credential prior to or at the same time as parent credential?)
With the recent curriculum changes that have occured over the past year there is not enough data to accurately determine how many students have completed the Mechatronics CSC and subsequently completed the GET parent degree. The data does show that students completing the CADD cert. have completed the parent degree at double the rate when comparing the 2015-2017 academic year to 2016 - 2017. This may be attributed to curriculum changes made to the GET program during those years.
2) Parent credential attainment and timeframe, if applicable, disaggregated by specialization
Past graduation rates have been less than desired. Many students enrolled in the program are non-traditional incumbent workers. This could be a factor. There are ongoing projects and measures in place to address these findings. Current figures show that the 2018 and 2019 numbers are beginning to trend in a positive direction.
a. Are students completing within 6 semesters (150% of graduation time)?
Yes, the current data show that the student completion rates are moving in that direction.
V. Transition: Employment or transfer post-credential (Quantitative, IE)
1) Transfer outcomes (students who transfer with associate degree, students who transfer without)
Programs that fall in the category of applied technical programs have traditionally prepared graduates for employment upon completion. These programs are also designed to retool incumbent workers with skills required for technological advancements in industry. College transfer students have typically made up a small percentage of this population. Anecdotally students enrolled in applied technical programs have historically transferred at a rate of about 5%. The data shows that during the 2018/2019 academic year one out of seven have transferred out of the GET program with an AS degree. Six students have transferred w/o a degree during the 2014/2015 academic year.
Cooperation with senior institutions may lead to a significant change in these numbers.
2) Student perspective/satisfaction
The data shows that students have a good prospective and a great deal of satisfaction with the instruction in the program.
VI. Sustainability: Future Program Outlook (Mixed methods, IE, program head and dean)
1) Program forecast (major expenditures, changes, personnel needs, etc.); any future costs should be explained in this section)
There will be an annual cost for professional development due to advancements in science and technology.
As the program begins to offer more IRC's there may be a cost to the student for the assessments.
There is a growing need for a receptionist at the MET. Before relocating to the MET all of the programs involved in the move enjoyed the benefit of having support staff in close proximity. Currently there is no one in place to deal with student and public traffic, deliveries, ordering and maintaining supplies, monitoring surveillance or fielding phone calls. As more classes are offered at the MET and more people are teaching there this problem continues to get worse.
The program could benefit from a project based curriculum. Costs vary depending on the project. The department has been approached by area industry seeking to utilize student and faculty resources to assist with projects.
a. Any other pertinent information relevant to the review process should be provided here (e.g. community need, state/federal requirements, external accreditation, SCHEV low enrollment warning, etc.)
Any efforts to establish articulation for transferable classes could benefit from becoming an ABET accredited college.
b. Employment forecast for program (Analyst data)
The Employment Snapshot for a student is relative to the industry and career of choice. Wages look strong in the for students that pursue careers in the jobs defined in the associated report.
As manufacturing begins to trickle back into the area the graduates from the program should be able to secure employment. Graduates that elect to commute up to 50 miles from the area will find more employment opportunity.